Torpedo



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Applicatonled December 15, 1919. Serial' No. 345,164.

,To all fur/fom l? may concern:

Be it known that T, Hanny 'LUTHER Bonsoir, a citizen ot the United States, residing at lVashingt/on, District of Columbia,

have invented new and useful lmproveinents r 1 ,g i 1n lorpedoes, ot which the iohowing is a specification. f y

This invention relates to 'torpedoes and more particularly to improvements 1n the horizontal rudder Icontrol now 'used in the automobile torpedoes vfor-the Navy;A

lVhen the torpedo islaunched iiroma destroyer, forexample, it 1s generally shot outover the side of the boat vfrom a suitable gun and drops six to twenty feet fiat into the water. This shock ot launching and` striking the water placesa severe strain on the horizontal or depth controlling rudders ot the torpedoes and frequently dislocates the internal delicate mechanism as to prei'ent subsequent operation of the torpedo during its run.

Tt is, therefore, one ol the objects of the present invention to provide a simple and practical mechanism associated with the horizontal steering rudderadapted to take up this shock experienced during the launching ci" the torpedo and prevent the objections above noted.

A further object is to provide amechanism of the above character which may be easily and quickly applied to the torpedoes now in use without material alteration or increase in the weight of the torpedo.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis ot this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features ot construction, combination oi' parts and in the unique relations ofthe members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as more coinpletely outlined.

To enable others n'loe skilled in the :uit .so fully tov comprehend. the underlying ifeatnres thereo'l" tha t they may embody the same by the numerous modiiications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as a part oilf' this disclosure, and in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all of the views, of which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view ot' the tail o a torpedo showing such-parts thereof as .are necessary-to .fully understand the present invention. l f

- 'Figure isV adetail perspective 'view-off f one or" the parts'.-

Referring now to thel drawings in' detail, denotes the yezorenie endfot the after-body 1 or tail ofthe torpedo;provided with atransverse supporting member lor lpartition 6 adapted to center the propeller shaft 7 which passes rthrough asuitablejsleeve 8. 'At each side of the stern `oi2 the torpedo is a horizontally disposedrudder 1.() `adapted to be actuated .by suitable depth controlling means he cent-ral body of he torpedo for mainiaA ing thetorpedo :it '.predetermined Ede- Sfireddepth throughoutyits run; These horizontal rudders 10 are lactuated by mea-ns ot a yoke member 11 locked over the bearing 8 oi the propeller shaft, the lower end 12 or one side of the yoke member being pivotally connectedto one end of a rod 13 extending forwardly therefrom. vThis rod is flexibly lconnected in any desired manner 4as indicated at 1i with a member 15 passing through av sleeve or supporting member 16 and terminating in a plunger 17 A within a housing 18. This housing is of general cylindrical shape provided with a threaded interior 'forward surface adapted to receive a `screw block 20`1lexibly connected at 2l with rod or shaft 22 extending Jforwardly to the depth control mechanism. Intenposed between the right hand end wall of 'the casing 1S and the rear side of the-piston head 17 is a spirally wound compression spring 23 normally `holding the parts in the position shown. i

`'The operation of this mechanism is substantially as r:tollows:- 1

When the torpedo is launched and drops fiat into the water from a considerable height, there will naturally be a great stress exerted on the free end of the horizontal rudders 10. When this occurs the rudders will yield upwardly, moving the rod 1 3 relatively towards-the rear or right as shown in Figl'rfe Vl and compressing the spring 23 within the housin; .,r 18, as the piston head is -tree to slide relatively to the housing and coinpress the spring therein. As soon as a condition oi' equilibrium lis established and the strain relieved from the horizontal rudder it naturally returns to normal position under the action of the expansion of the spring 2.3

ico`

which moves the piston 1.7' relatively towards the lett Withinrthe housing. vThereafter the depth control mechanism will operate the l 13 15 lOQ 't l 'L' l ions i, an( as a unit and positive y and accurately control the depth of vthe torpedo during: the balance of its run.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a simpleJ and practical mechanism adapted to take up theshock exerted on the horizontal rudder during the moment ofA 01"- use and operation ot mechanism of this character will be clear to those skilled in the art and a further description is, therefore, believed to be unnecessary.

llVithout further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the ,gist of this invention that others can, by applying,` current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications Without 'omitting certain :features that troni the standpoint Voit the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claim :h

In a torpedo, in combination7 a horizontal depth rudder provided with a yoke and actuating` rod, a second rod adapted to be connected `with the depth control mechanism, a cylindrical member pivotally connected with said second rod and a headed sliding member pivotally connected with said first rod, a spring Within said cylindrical member reacting` between the end Wall thereof and the headed end of said sliding member, said parts being located 'Within the torpedo shell and so positioned and arranged that When the torpedo is launched the shock exerted upon the horizontal rudders Will be taken up by said sliding spring retained member.

vSigned at Washington, District of Columbia, this 21st of July, 1919.

HARRY LUTHER Bonson. 

